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US and Europe to Share Private Data

Security efforts to be eased by agreement

By Ambreen Ali,  Newser User

Posted Jun 28, 2008 7:13 AM CDT

(Newser) – The US and the European Union will soon allow security agencies to swap private information, including credit card purchases, travel histories and web surfing. The potential agreement is a breakthrough in a standoff between American counterterrorism officials and their trans-Atlantic counterparts, whose countries tend to have more stringent privacy laws. Draft language for the agreement has finally been ironed out, after 17 months of haggling.

The parties are still figuring out if European citizens should be allowed to sue the US for how it handles the information. One European parliament member feared "it will serve as a pretext to freely share our personal data with anyone."

EU members meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in this photo. Europe and the US have finally agreed on swapping private details to fight terrorism.
EU members meet with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in this photo. Europe and the US have finally agreed on swapping private details to fight terrorism.   (AP Photo/RIA Novosti, Dmitry Astakhov, Presidential Press Service)
President addresses the media after an EU-US summit June 10. The US has long clashed with Europe on accessing airline and bank data.
President addresses the media after an EU-US summit June 10. The US has long clashed with Europe on accessing airline and bank data.   (AP Photo/Yves Logghe)
 Airline and bank data on Europeans will be made available to US security agencies under the new agreement.
Airline and bank data on Europeans will be made available to US security agencies under the new agreement.   (Shutter stock)
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